Puerto de Andrach

Puerto de Andrach cycling climb profile

Puerto de Andrach is a short Spanish category 4 climb: 1.2 km from a listed start elevation of 9 m to a summit elevation of 87 m. The supplied profile gives a net elevation gain of 78 m and an average gradient of 6.45%, which puts it firmly in the category of a climb that is brief enough to tempt an overcommitment, but steep enough that riding it carelessly will still cost you.

The important point is duration. At 1.2 km, this is not a climb that requires long-form mountain pacing, but it is also not just a false flat. The gradient, taken as an average, is high enough that most riders will need to settle into climbing cadence rather than trying to muscle over it in a big gear.

How the gradient unfolds

The available data does not provide kilometre-by-kilometre splits, so the cleanest reading is to treat Puerto de Andrach as a compact, steady effort rather than a climb with documented ramps or recovery benches. The listed average gradient of 6.45% is the best practical guide for pacing.

There is one important data-quality note: the supplied maximum gradient is 5.65%, which sits below the listed average gradient of 6.45%. Since a maximum gradient should not normally be lower than the average, that field should not be used as a tactical cue. In practice, pace this from the average gradient and the short length, not from the listed maximum.

The elevation fields also deserve caution. The start and summit elevations imply a 78 m rise, matching the listed net elevation gain, while total ascent is supplied as 55 m. Because those figures do not align cleanly, the safest practical interpretation is still straightforward: this is a short climb with meaningful uphill resistance from bottom to top.

Pacing and gearing

The main mistake on Puerto de Andrach is treating 1.2 km as too short to respect. If you attack the bottom above threshold, the average gradient gives you very little room to recover before the summit. A controlled start is faster for most riders than a surge followed by cadence collapse.

For pacing, ride the opening section one notch under the effort you think you can hold to the top, then lift only once the summit is clearly within reach. On a climb this short, the physiological cost of going too deep early is immediate: breathing spikes, cadence drops, and the final section becomes more about damage control than speed.

Gearing should be selected before the road fully bites. Use a gear that lets you keep pressure smooth without grinding, especially if Puerto de Andrach comes after harder terrain. Stronger riders may be able to carry momentum and stay seated throughout, but most will be better served by shifting early and keeping the effort even.

If you are using the climb for training, it suits a short sustained effort around /glossary/ftp rather than a maximal sprint from the base. The climb is too short for a long threshold test, but it is long enough to expose pacing discipline. The best ride here is not the most explosive start. It is the rider who keeps the power controlled, avoids unnecessary gear changes, and arrives at the top still accelerating rather than fading.